Storage device with access control device and method for accessing storage device

Abstract

A mobile storage device with access control includes a portable storage device and an access control device. The access control device has a non-volatile memory for storing an access-control setting information. If the access-control setting information has already been set with required parameters and when the portable storage device with the access control device is connected to a master equipment, the portable storage device is automatically switched to a secured private zone for the master equipment to access the secured private zone. Further, an agreement to recognize the access-control setting information is made in each time of access if the access control device requires the agreement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile storage device with access control capability, comprising:
 a portable storage device, partitioned into a secured private zone and a public zone; and   a blue-tooth (BT) access control device, having a non-volatile memory for storing an access-control setting information with a control flag, wherein the access-control setting information is set by an electronic mobile apparatus through a BT communication interface and determines whether or not an authorization to access the secured private zone is valid, wherein the control flag determines whether or not an authorization setting from the electronic mobile apparatus is required when the portable storage device being authorized and out of a BT operation range of the electronic mobile apparatus becomes within the BT operation range,   wherein when the portable storage device with the BT access control device is connected to a master equipment, the secured private zone can be accessed by the master equipment when the authorization is valid.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein a data access to the portable storage device being authorized is prohibited when the portable storage device is away from the electronic mobile apparatus beyond the BT operation range, and when the portable storage device enters within the BT operation range again, the authorization setting from the electronic mobile apparatus is required to enable the data access. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the access-control setting information comprises a time-out value for restricting an access time to access the secured private zone. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the access-control setting information comprises a protection mode for permitting only N times of access right to the secured private zone, wherein the N is a non-negative integer. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the access-control setting information comprises an identification name and a password for authentication to access the secured private zone. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory stores a capacity status for indicating a size of the available storage space. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory stores a content list of a downloaded content stored in the portable storage device. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the portable storage device is a USB flash drive and the electronic mobile apparatus is a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a mobile digital apparatus, and the electronic mobile apparatus is a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a mobile digital apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . A method of access control for a portable storage device, wherein a storage space of the portable storage device is partitioned into a public zone and a secured private zone and a blue tooth (BT) access control device with a non-volatile memory is implemented with the portable storage device, the method comprising:
 setting an access-control setting information into the non-volatile memory of the BT access control device by using an electronic mobile apparatus through a BT communication interface, wherein the access-control setting information is used to determine whether or not an authorization to access the secured private zone is valid; and   setting a control flag of the portable storage device separate from or together with the step of setting the access-control setting information, wherein the control flag determines whether or not an authorization setting from the electronic mobile apparatus is required when the portable storage device being authorized and out of a BT operation range of the electronic mobile apparatus becomes within the BT operation range,   wherein when the portable storage device with the BT access control device is connected to a master equipment, the secured private zone allows to be accessed by the master equipment when the authorization is valid.   
     
     
         10 . The method of access control as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the access-control setting information comprises a protection mode for only N times of access to the secured private zone, wherein the N is a positive integer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of access control as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the secured private zone cannot be accessed when the access-control setting information is reset to an initial state or a null state. 
     
     
         12 . The method of access control as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the portable storage device is a USB flash drive and the electronic mobile apparatus is a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a mobile digital apparatus, and the electronic mobile apparatus is a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a mobile digital apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of access control as recited in  claim 9 , wherein a data access to the portable storage device being authorized is prohibited when the portable storage device is away from the electronic mobile apparatus beyond the BT operation range, and when the portable storage device enters within the BT operation range again, the authorization setting from the electronic mobile apparatus is required to enable the data access.